Interim Dean | Photo by Kit Rheyne | The Wright State Guardian
Wright State’s previous Dean of Students, Chris Taylor, officially left Wright State last week. In his stead, Eric Corbitt has become the interim dean until a full-time replacement can be found.
Eric Corbitt
On Oct. 16, University President Dr. Sue Edwards announced that Eric Corbitt, the director of the Student Union and Campus Recreation, will be the interim dean of students. Since then, Corbitt has worked hard to ensure that there is no lapse in services provided to students while also maintaining his previous roles.
Corbitt was asked by Edwards to fill the role of interim dean of students, and he gladly accepted but stated that he will not be applying for the full-time position. Corbitt is anticipated to stay in this role until a replacement can be found. At the moment, the university is working to post the position for people to apply.
Corbitt understands that while it will be noticeable to students that Chris Taylor is no longer with the university, Corbitt hopes that Taylor’s absence will not be noticeable to students in terms of the services that Taylor previously provided.
“Chris Taylor had a strong relationship with lots of students, and he will be missed,” Corbitt said. “My hope is that students don’t see any drop in services.”
Changes to the role
Before Chris Taylor was made the dean of students in 2020, the position was titled vice president; now that Dean Taylor has resigned, the university is looking to return this position to a VP.
According to Corbitt, VPs tend to have a broader vision than deans do. The university hopes that bringing a broader vision back to the position can ensure that students get what they need both in the moment and the future. There is a possibility that a VP position and a dean position will coexist in the future, but right now, it will just be a VP position. The position will be renamed to Vice President of Student Affairs and Campus Engagement, as Corbitt explained.
Updates are likely to follow as the university navigates the absence of Chris Taylor and the hiring of a Vice President of Student Affairs and Campus Engagement.
